A Jersey City rapist who once threw feces around a courtroom has been charged with beating his cousin so severely on Monday that she temporarily lost the senses of sight and smell and may have suffered a broken nose.

In February of 1999, Anthony Pigford, 47, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for a Jersey City home invasion and brutal rape after his first trial was called off because he ate and threw excrement in court.

Pigford, who was released from prison on unrelated convictions on Sept. 21 and is on parole and wearing an electronic ankle monitor, is charged with aggravated assault for “repeatedly punching the victim in the face with a closed fist,” the criminal complaint says.

Officers responding to Pearsall Avenue at 9:30 p.m. heard the 38-year-old victim yelling “Just leave me alone. Just go!” and police found her “face was covered in blood,” a police report says.

The victim said she and Pigford were arguing when he began punching her and she “temporarily lost her sense of vision and sense of smell,” and the officer immediately arrested Pigford, the report says.

An ambulance responded and EMTs told the victim she may have a broken nose, but she refused treatment, the report says, adding that after her injuries were photographed she became uncooperative.

According to state Department of Corrections records, Pigford has prior convictions for aggravated sexual assault, robbery, violation of community supervision, burglary, theft, receiving stolen property and obstructing a government function.

He made his first appearance on the new charges on Tuesday in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

In court, Pigford asked CJP Judge Margaret Marley to allow him to be released on his own recognizance, saying it was “…because I don’t have no money.” Marley set his bail at $35,000 with a 10 percent cash option. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.

According to prosecutors, in 1996 Pigford forced his way into a Baldwin Avenue home where a 26-year-old home health aide was caring for two elderly and disabled people.

Prosecutors said Pigford raped the woman twice, hit her over the head with a shovel and fled with items from her pocketbook that were later found when he was arrested at his girlfriend's apartment. The rape victim became pregnant and had an abortion, according to prosecutors.

In 1998, Pigford’s first trial on the rape and robbery charge ended in a mistrial after he threw a tantrum during opening statements. Pigford drew a plastic bag containing feces from his prison uniform, smeared it on his face, ate it and spit some across the courtroom while the judge, jury and sheriff's officers ducked for cover.

The 18-year sentence included seven years without the possibility of parole. Under current law, he would have had to serve more than 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.